STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Ramsey Orta, hailed by some as a hero for capturing video of Eric Garner's death at the hands of police, was well-known to law enforcement prior to his recent ascension into the national spotlight.

The 22-year-old Tompkinsville resident, who has appeared beside Rev. Al Sharpton and Garner's family at numerous press events following the Port Richmond man's July 17 death, has a lengthy arrest record and a felony conviction to his name, according to the New York Post.

In that incident, on July 13, Orta is accused of punching a man who was collecting bottles outside of his Van Duzer Street home, a source with knowledge of the case said. Orta's closed-fist assault to the man's face caused lacerations to his nose and swelling to his eye, and he was charged with third-degree assault and second-degree harassment, according to a criminal complaint.

Two months prior to his assault arrest, Orta and another man, identified in court papers as Michael Price, 51, of Benziger Avenue, were charged with robbery and a series of other offenses stemming from a May 4 incident on Bay Street, just a short walk from where he filmed Garner's last moments.

According to the complaint, Orta was handed $10 by the victim to purchase an undisclosed item for him. Rather than execute the transaction, however, Orta allegedly said, "F--- you, you're beat," and refused to return the victim's money, court documents state.

When the victim attempted to get his money back, Price intervened with a knife, threatened to cut the victim, and chased him away with Orta while brandishing the knife, the complaint states.

When officers arrested Orta, they found three oxycodone pills in his sweater pocket, according to the complaint.

Orta's final pending case dates back to last December, when he was picked up on disorderly conduct charges. The details of that incident, which resulted in a summons, were not immediately available.

Orta was expected to appear in Staten Island criminal court Monday to be arraigned on gun charges.

He remains hospitalized at Richmond University Medical Center, West Brighton, for what a court employee said was a "psychiatric evaluation."